Conventional zippers are commonly used for separating and recombining fabric pieces such found as on men's trousers, in order to provide a sealable aperture. This is accomplished in the conventional zipper by means of a wedge opening portion which separates the adjoining tracks of the zipper, and a closing channel portion which joins the tracks together in interlocking engagement.
A zipper arrangement has been used conventionally to provide a movable seal about the gun barrel of a movable turret. For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,331,048 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,353,086 by Schaaff, there is disclosed a zipper assembly for combining and separating fabric-like flaps about the barrel of a movable gun; the zipper assembly including a flange which is mounted about the gun barrel and which has upper and lower zipper slider members for combining and separating a pair of zipper tracks which are attached to the fabric sections. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,344,049 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,365,578 by Morin, there are disclosed a zippered fabric arrangement for providing a sealed aperture about the barrel of a movable gun, utilizing a slider body having an opening wedge member and a closer channel at each end for combining and separating the fabric sections.
Similar zippered assemblies for sealing around the barrel of a movable turret have also been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,392,685 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,393,551 by Morin, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 2,394,732 by Williams et al.
Another assembly for providing an aperture seal about a movable gun barrel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,681 by Koontz whereby the seal is formed by a number of resilient fingers which may be resiliently pulled apart by a gun barrel or the like to permit movement of the gun barrel in the desired direction.
Yoneya, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,361 discloses an aperture seal for the shift lever of an automobile transmission; the seal including opposing zipper slide members for opening and closing a pair of fabric sections about the shift lever.
Other closure assemblies include U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,735 by Ellis, which discloses a pair of magnetic tracks attached to separate fabric sections such as found in wearing apparel or shoes, and which are manually separated and rejoined. In addition, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,404 by Plummer there is disclosed a device for closing a pair of adjacent seams which have oppositely facing tongue and grooves.